Would it shock anyone if Jozy wasn't on the plane to Russia? This has nothing to do with personal preference, but with everything to do with the amount of talent coming to the next cycle. Jozy will no longer be the defacto solid option, due to a lack of talented strikers. The USMNT will have a multitude of talented strikers/FWDs champing at the bit during the 2018 WC cycle. He is going to have challengers not only for his starting spot but for his USMNT spot during the 2018 WC cycle. Either he will rise to the challengers or not.

I know it's a crazy prediction, but that's why I started this thread. Beguile each other with your crazy player predictions.

admsghs27

Post #2

Saturday February 8, 2014 12:53am

Joined Nov 2012
Total Posts: 3,786

No i wouldn't be shock American strikers/fwds fall off very often. Ching ? Eddie Johnson ? Casey ? Findley, Buddle ? Wolf ? Twellman ( injury ), davies. ext. A great examp-le ej was projected to be the greatest fwd in usa history but fell off several yrs.

EKneezyAtlanta

Post #3

Saturday February 8, 2014 2:26am

Joined May 2013
Total Posts: 2,111

Tim Howard will still be a part of the 2018 WC cycle.

admsghs27

Post #4

Saturday February 8, 2014 2:31am

Joined Nov 2012
Total Posts: 3,786

Ill give you a crazy prediction only 1 player will most likely be starting in the first game in Russia, from the 2014 WC starting 11 vs ghana. And that is Bradley.

Just to trow it out there i predict USA will qualify to the WC in a playoff by finishing 4th place. That would be something.

Another Prediction is Mexico wont qualify for 2018, other 3 teams, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador. Yes is said it. Lol we never know what will happen.

stone88

Post #5

Saturday February 8, 2014 2:41am

Joined Aug 2012
Total Posts: 964

Bobby Wood?? No way!

GD10

Post #6

Saturday February 8, 2014 2:58am

Joined Dec 2012
Total Posts: 251

Landon Donovan will be on the plane to Russia.

GD10

Post #7

Saturday February 8, 2014 3:00am

Joined Dec 2012
Total Posts: 251

I really want to see him get 200 caps.

CS10

Post #8

Saturday February 8, 2014 3:47am

Joined Feb 2013
Total Posts: 94

Others...McInerney, Hurtado, Mcbean, Doyle, Lopez, Calvert, Gulley, Top, Okoli, Gentile, Gooch, Rodriguez. It is conceivable there are A LOT of FW prospects. something for us there are even more attacking midfielder prospects

admsghs27

Post #9

Saturday February 8, 2014 3:47am

Joined Nov 2012
Total Posts: 3,786

And yes i do predict Landon will be on the plane to Brazil. and finish his mnt career with 100 goals. and 200+ appearances.

rjw77

Post #10

Saturday February 8, 2014 3:09pm

Joined Jul 2013
Total Posts: 275

Obviously like you said this is a crazy prediction, but based off the players you listed is inaccurate.

AJ is in great form and tearing up the Eredivisie, but so was Jozy before he moved to the Premier League. He easily could be better than Jozy but I want to see him do it in a better league before I anoint him with that honor.

Agudelo has got off to a great start at Utrecht and is an exciting player. He also could easily be ahead of Jozy in 2018 along with AJ.

But the rest I'm not sure. Boyd is still in a horrible league, and while he has been solid, he hasn't been spectacular and really needs to go somewhere else before he enters this discussion.

Wooten is the same age as Altidore and is on loan from his Bundesliga 2 club to a lower Bundesliga 2 club. No thanks. Wood hasn't played much either and 1860 Munich just brought in a promising 22 year old Japanese striker.

Salgado was a promising talent, but it is hard to project him as kicking Altidore off the plane to Russia since he hasn't been healthy. However now that he is healthy I hope he makes a comeback this year.

Zardes has been playing LM, and looked shaky doing so. He has potential but is playing out of position right now.

Spencer and Rubin are both pretty exciting prospects, but will most likely be too young too surpass the more established strikers.

Hernandez seemed mediocre in the U20 World Cup and hasn't made an impact at Monterrey.

Sorry for being the pessimist here, but I don't think that list of FWD prospects is really that exciting and especially not good enough to overtake Altidore in his prime.

MSantoine

Post #11

Saturday February 8, 2014 4:18pm

Joined Nov 2012
Total Posts: 2,387

Someone will make Russia with less than 10 caps.

2toneTen-Towns

Post #12

Saturday February 8, 2014 4:50pm

Joined Jul 2012
Total Posts: 5,735

Here is my other crazy player prediction. Haji Wright will be on the roster.

2toneTen-Towns

Post #13

Saturday February 8, 2014 4:55pm

Joined Jul 2012
Total Posts: 5,735

Original post from rjw77

Obviously like you said this is a crazy prediction, but based off the players you listed is inaccurate.

AJ is in great form and tearing up the Eredivisie, but so was Jozy before he moved to the Premier League. He easily could be better than Jozy but I want to see him do it in a better league before I anoint him with that honor.

Agudelo has got off to a great start at Utrecht and is an exciting player. He also could easily be ahead of Jozy in 2018 along with AJ.

But the rest I'm not sure. Boyd is still in a horrible league, and while he has been solid, he hasn't been spectacular and really needs to go somewhere else before he enters this discussion.

Wooten is the same age as Altidore and is on loan from his Bundesliga 2 club to a lower Bundesliga 2 club. No thanks. Wood hasn't played much either and 1860 Munich just brought in a promising 22 year old Japanese striker.

Salgado was a promising talent, but it is hard to project him as kicking Altidore off the plane to Russia since he hasn't been healthy. However now that he is healthy I hope he makes a comeback this year.

Zardes has been playing LM, and looked shaky doing so. He has potential but is playing out of position right now.

Spencer and Rubin are both pretty exciting prospects, but will most likely be too young too surpass the more established strikers.

Hernandez seemed mediocre in the U20 World Cup and hasn't made an impact at Monterrey.

Sorry for being the pessimist here, but I don't think that list of FWD prospects is really that exciting and especially not good enough to overtake Altidore in his prime.

Altidore has been the defacto striker because there was no one else. That won't be the case during the 2018 WC cycle. You do realize there is 5 years until Russia? A lot will change.

rjw77

Post #14

Saturday February 8, 2014 5:09pm

Joined Jul 2013
Total Posts: 275

Original post from 2tone

Altidore has been the defacto striker because there was no one else. That won't be the case during the 2018 WC cycle. You do realize there is 5 years until Russia? A lot will change.

In my opinion, of the strikers you listed, only two of them have the potential to start over Altidore in 4 years. AJ and Agudelo. The rest don't even look that promising.

Keep in mind Altidore will be in his prime in 2018.

snipes87Cleveland, Ohio

Post #15

Saturday February 8, 2014 5:43pm

Joined Jul 2013
Total Posts: 360

Original post from rjw77

In my opinion, of the strikers you listed, only two of them have the potential to start over Altidore in 4 years. AJ and Agudelo. The rest don't even look that promising.

Keep in mind Altidore will be in his prime in 2018.

It would be crazy, but rj is right. We had 4 years since 2010 for someone to get as good as Altidore and that hasn't happened. Aaron Jo is close. but no one else